Young Guns
by Akira.Light
Summary: Naruto is the new sheriff of Alto Springs. Sasuke is an outlaw and member of the renegade gang Akatsuki. They become tangled in an adventure that puts their lives and the lives of all they care about at risk, but will they be able to learn to trust each other to work together? Can they start by trying not to kill each other? Eventual SasuNaruSasu
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Naruto Uzumaki is the new sheriff of Alto Springs. Sasuke Uchiha is an outlaw and member of the renegade gang Akatsuki. They become tangled in an adventure that puts their lives and the lives of all they care about at risk, but will they be able to learn to trust each other to work together? Can they start by not trying to kill each other?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Happy?

AN: This is my first story in a very long time. I hope you give this a chance because it will be a great story, I promise.

Beta: AlyssaOtaku69 Check out her work! She's in the middle of several amazing stories and updates weekly.

* * *

He wiped the sweat from his brow and replaced his worn hat onto his unruly mop of sunny, blonde hair. The Texas heat boiled the air around him, and he inhaled a large breath of dry air, the stale, burning taste of the craggy desert hanging on his tongue. He pulled his pocket watch from his vest, glancing at the time. 3:30. His patrol was nearly over, and with a sigh, he realized that absolutely nothing of excitement had happened all day. No bandits, no suspicious looking caravans, not even a jackrabbit jumping to and fro. He'd seen more activity at the Sunday service, which, until now, he had considered the most mind numbing experience of his life.

"Well," he drawled, "looks like it's time to turn in." He gave his horse a quick jab in the side with his heels, and took off towards the road at a leisurely trot. He'd embraced the sad truth that almost every day since his promotion had been this dull. His one big bust was enough to launch him to new responsibilities and status, but now he could simply coast on the wave of good behavior and lack of crime that he'd been riding since. He'd always imagined being Sheriff as more physically and mentally taxing, more life-or-death, kill-or-be-killed action, especially in a larger town. However, he berated himself, that was nothing to complain about.

His horse approached the road and he made to turn right, towards Alto Springs, his home sweet home, when something flashed in the corner of his eye. His head snapped left, and less than a mile in the distance he made out the blurry image of a white, covered wagon toppling over. A dark horse and his unknown rider were circling the wagon in a very unfriendly way.

"Looks like I'll have something to tell the girls today after all." Naruto said with a small smile. He spurred his horse onward, riding low in his saddle in case the assailant took notice of him and had a gun. To his surprise, the man on the horse didn't seem to notice him approaching. He was still on his dark steed, yelling orders to the family that had crawled out of the overturned wagon. From the way he swayed in his saddle, he must have been intoxicated.

Naruto slowed his horse to a walk when he came within shooting distance of the man. With one hand on the reins, he reached for his gun with the other, his fingers just closing around the cold metal when the stranger stopped yelling. With faster hands than Naruto had ever seen, the man's gun was out behind him and pointed square at the Sheriff's chest.

"Don't do anything stupid." The man said loudly, and though his body tilted this way and that, his gun remained steady.

"Put your gun away." Naruto replied calmly, inching his own revolver slowly from the holster. "I'm the Sheriff of Alto Springs, and I'm ordering you to put your gun away."

The stranger snorted. "Sheriff..." He turned around in his saddle, glancing lazily at Naruto. "You're no Sheriff, you're a boy with a pretty, golden pin who just crawled outta his momma's lap."

"And you're a boy whose daddy just gave him his first real revolver and now he's feeling trigger happy." He retorted, sizing up the bandit. He looked no older than himself, a spry man in his early twenties with fair skin and a mane of black hair topped off with a mangy hat. The man's face broke into a wide grin at the comment.

"You're right! I'm dying to try it out, care to help me?" He pulled back the hammer with a resounding 'click' and spun his horse around to face Naruto.

"I'm going to give you one last chance to put your gun away." Naruto articulated each word carefully, his heart beginning to pound a little harder. "Don't do anything you're going to regret."

"Oh don't worry, I won't regret it." The man said with a smirk. With killing intent in his red, glazed eyes, he made to pull the trigger and Naruto's hand ripped his gun from his holster. Before the man could shoot, however, a look of discomfort flitted across his face and his gun dropped from his hand. He clutched at his stomach as if he was about to vomit of alcohol poisoning, but instead of heaving up his insides, only a mild belch escaped his lips. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he toppled out of his saddle into a crumpled, unconscious mess.

Naruto pointed his gun at the man for several seconds before sliding to the ground and cautiously walking towards him. He squatted down next to him, the smell of whiskey hanging in the air around him like an acrid perfume. He swatted the other man's gun out of reach, then gently rolled his body supine. The consistent rise and fall of his chest assured the Sheriff he was fine, merely another victim of uninhibited drinking. He nimbly bound his hands and legs before slinging his body across the back of his horse.

He turned his attention to the startled family. "Are you all right?" He addressed them with a smile and tip of his hat. He helped the youngest girl to her feet as her family stood around her.

"We are now, thanks to you." An older man said, putting his arm around his wife, who in turn pulled her children to her side. "If you hadn't of showed up when you did, well, who knows what that bastard might have done." The children smiled as their father swore, but the mother gave him a look of disapproval. She then turned to Naruto.

"We were on our way in to Alto Springs, when he ran us off the road. I swear, he has a familiar face to him." She motioned towards the body on the horse. "Like the kind I've seen on a poster at the Sheriff's office. I reckon he's a wanted man."

"Well I will make sure he's dealt with when I take him back to town." Naruto nodded encouragingly at the family. "But how about we flip this thing over? See if it can make these last few miles." He stepped towards the wagon, assessing the damage. "I'm sure if you take it nice and slow, keep to the roads and ease over the potholes, you'll be fine."

* * *

After a solid half hour of pushing, pulling, and swearing, the wagon had been righted and the family escorted into town courtesy of Naruto. Alto Springs was lively, as all the women and children made their way home and all the men made their way to saloons. The town was situated East of several natural warm springs to which its name was due, and flanking the settlement was a series of rolling hills that gave way to a patchwork of farm land. It was a green town, with rustling Acacia trees hugging the perimeter and beds of wild flowers that grew along many of the streets.

Naruto bid farewell to the family just as the sun began to dip behind the mountains, painting the horizon layers of orange, pink, and purple. They wandered towards the mercantile at the heart of town, while he stayed behind and ducked left, keeping to the fringes of town. He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself while he had the outlaw tossed across the back of his saddle. His office was situated between the road and rail station, perfect for moving criminals around between the jail and train and keeping them away from civilians. Alto Springs had learned the hard way years ago that having the Sheriff's office in the middle of town was too dangerous, and so it was relocated farther out.

He stopped his horse outside the building and looped the reins through the hitching post. He gave the chestnut brown mare a rub on the neck, then scooped a sugar cube out of his saddle bag and let her eagerly lick it from his palm. He dried his hand on his pants, then collected his unconscious bounty and heaved him up the steps to his office. He kicked the door open, struggling slightly under the weight of the outlaw, though he appeared to be on the scrawny side, and hurried inside. The first floor had three jail cells against the back wall, and his work space opposite those in the corner. There he had his desk and several bookcases filled with maps, criminal records, and other important documents. A narrow staircase in the other corner of the room wound up to the second floor where he resided, holding nothing but his bed, a small closet, and several tables strewn with riding tack, shaving equipment, and various odds and ends.

"Hey, you got one!"

Naruto snapped his head around to the corner of the room to see some of his deputies milling around his desk. Many were holding bottles, clearly enjoying a leisurely afternoon of inactivity, and one even had his feet up on his desk. At the sight of Naruto, he immediately took his feet down and stashed the bottle.

"Need a hand?" A man with long brown hair tied back in a ponytail asked.

"Please." Naruto replied, shifting his weight. The man grabbed the cell keys from a desk drawer and unlocked the closest door, then helped slide the body from Naruto's shoulder and together they set him down on a cot, the only adornment to the cell. They stepped out, and Naruto locked the cell, pocketing the keys inside his vest. "Thanks, Neji."

"Of course, Sheriff." Neji replied, and Naruto felt his cheeks redden. He still wasn't used to people addressing him as such. "So, who is he and how'd you happen upon him?" Neji asked, leaning casually against the cell. Everyone else in the room nodded, eager to listen.

"Well," Naruto began, "I don't know who he is. At the very end of my patrol, I was 'bout to head home when I saw him overturn a wagon off down the road, going towards Twin Vista. He was drunk off his ass, waving a gun around and threatening a family, and..." He wasn't sure how to explain the next part. "And I subdued him. Brought him back here." He'd stretch the truth a little, he decided. No harm in talking himself up a bit. "Some of the family reckoned he had the kind of face straight from a poster, but he doesn't seem familiar to me." The men all turned to look at the stranger in the cell, whose face was partially concealed under his mop of black hair.

"He doesn't look familiar to me either." Neji concluded, as did most of his deputies.

"Ya know," the man who'd had his feet on Naruto's desk piped up, "I've heard some rumors come through from Twin Vista and San Tilo about a new gang of sorts, vigilantes gone rogue that have been causing all sorts of trouble along the roads. He could be one of them. Al-something, or maybe ar- no Askatsi or Atsuki..." He scratched his head, fumbling for the name.

"Don't hurt yourself, Kiba." Shikamaru, a man with dark hair tied high on his head, said coolly, and Kiba turned and growled at him.

"I'll think of it!" He snapped, "It will come back to me."

"When it does, make sure to tell me. I'd love to find out more about them." Naruto said. The idea of a new gang was troubling; as if there weren't enough of those around already, but at least it meant he'd be busy now. He didn't care much for all these lazy days now that he had something to prove to the people of Alto Springs.

"Will do." Kiba replied, standing up. "Now, let's say we celebrate the Sheriff's daring capture with some drinks!" It was not so much a question as it was a statement, and he earned rambunctious cheers in return.

"Kiba, you ass, you've been drinking all day." Neji sniped at him, to which Kiba replied with some obscene names.

"Obviously they're mostly for Naruto." Kiba huffed, stalking past the stoic brunette and clapping Naruto on the back. "Come on, to Madame T's, I'll buy you a cold one." Naruto started to decline; as refreshing as a cool beer sounded he was wary to leave the captured man here alone, even if he was out cold. "Your favorite will be dancing tonight!" Kiba added with a salty wink. Now, Naruto was torn. He rarely passed up a chance to see her on stage, usually because that led to other things, and he'd been craving those other things for several long nights now.

Almost as if he could feel the torment in him, Neji sighed and said "If you want to go, I'll stay and keep watch. But you'll have to start his paperwork when you're done."

Unable to contain himself, Naruto cracked a wide grin and nodded, then turned and left the building with his posse in tow. They ambled out the door, laughing and making jokes as they moved back towards the center of town. The citizens of Alto Springs smiled and waved at them, some adding an enthusiastic "Good evening, Sheriff!" that brought a warmth to Naruto's heart. He was well-liked amongst the town, despite holding so much responsibility at such a young age. He had inherited the badge from the previous Sheriff, Hatake Kakashi, who decided to retire early once Naruto proved he was capable of holding the position. In the older man's words, "I was just saving this for you."

Before Kakashi, the badge had belonged to his father, whose name was practically holy in Alto Springs. Naruto could barely recall him, being so young when he died in service to the town, but he grew up hearing many stories and probably some tall tales of his bravery and heroism. He knew he wanted to be just like his dad, to take responsibility for the town and all who lived in it. After foiling the nefarious plots of a local gang not even a season ago, Kakashi had deemed him both ready and worthy. He only hoped that Kakshi and everyone else's trust in him was well placed.

The hoots and hollers of drinking men and the breaking of glass spilled out from the wooden double doors and out into the street in front of 'Madame Tsunade's Spirit House'. Out in front was a poster featuring a beautiful painting of a woman in burlesque getup, meaning there would be dancers tonight. Naruto practically dove through the doors, and was greeted with a cacophony of drunken yells and cheers.

The familiar smell of whiskey and cigarette smoked wafted around him, and the bar was buzzing with activity; drinking games, rounds of poker, and an arm wrestling match were all happening around him, and it was barely after 5. At the front of the room was a raised wooden stage with thick, red velvet curtains drawn across it, hiding the scenery behind. In front was a small pit with a few chairs and a piano, where the musicians would sit and play lively tunes for the bar patrons and later for the dancers. The wall to the left was covered in shelves stocked with the finest spirits and liquors available this side of the desert, as well as an impressive collection of glassware that never dwindled despite how many glasses seemed to shatter nightly. The bar, a long, dark counter of wood, was covered in knicks and scrapes, and probably saturated with plenty of spit, blood, and spilled booze. On the opposite wall were the water closets, as well as a staircase that wound upwards to the second floor where Tsunade's office was. In between everything was a myriad of tables and chairs, all over a worn out wooden floor. Antique looking brass chandeliers flooded the room with warm light.

Behind the bar was a large man with dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard. A smoldering cigar hung lazily from the corner of his mouth. Next to him was a buxom blonde who was currently engaged with a drunken patron, a look of fear plastered on the man's face as the woman held him by his shirt collar.

"Think you can steal drinks from Madame T, huh?" She growled at the man threateningly, who seemed to retreat further back into his shirt. "Asuma, bottle." She ordered the bartender, who quickly handed her a dark brown bottle of alcohol. She held it up in front of the patron, waving it a little to make sure he was paying attention, then smashed the bottle on the bar next to him. A suffocating silence instantly fell over the room, followed quickly by the scraping of chairs as everyone turned around to watch the incident unfold. Naruto, amused, sat silently for the time being. The patron seemed to be on the verge of pissing himself when Tsunade held up the jagged, broken bottle and inched it towards him. "Are you sure you forgot your wallet?" She asked him sweetly as she looked pointedly at her makeshift weapon. The man slowly shook his head, before cautiously reaching into his breast pocket and pulling out a money pouch. He pinched out several coins and dropped them on the counter in front of Tsunade, who didn't seem pleased. "Now, now," she leered, yanking the man's collar closer, "I think you drank a little more than that." The man opened his mouth to reply, but the bartender shook his head at him, as if warning him 'Don't do it, you'll regret it'. The man dropped the whole money pouch on the counter and Tsunade relinquished her grip. He tumbled off his stool, scrambled to his feet, and hightailed his way past Naruto and out the door in an instant. The bar erupted into uproarious applause and Tsunade waved them off, more concerned with counting her payment.

"Oi, granny," Naruto called with an impish grin as he approached the bar, "you're supposed to leave the justice to me." Tsunade stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hey, welp, maybe you'd like to start paying for your drinks from now on too!" She raised her eyebrow at him and Naruto felt his face go red.

"On second thought, you make a fine vigilante." He said sheepishly, waving his hands in front of him defensively. He rarely had to worry about bad behavior getting out of hand here; Tsunade ran a tight ship and didn't tolerate any tomfoolery in her establishment.

"Hey!" Naruto felt a punch on his arm as Kiba stepped beside him. "You get free drinks? Then why am I always buying your rounds?!" Naruto sidestepped another punch aimed at him and reached for his wallet. He held up some bills in front of Kiba's face.

"My treat tonight then!" He exclaimed, and almost immediately Kiba's scowl became a toothy grin.

"Ah, the magic words." He cooed, and he yanked the bills from Naruto's hand and slammed them flat on the counter. "Top shelf please, Asuma." Like a kid in a candy store, Naruto thought as he chuckled to himself. He turned around to see Shikamaru and Shino looking at him expectantly, and he dug back into his wallet. Their faces lit up when he produced more bills and laid them at the bar.

"For all of us, thanks." He nodded at Asuma who collected the money and handed it off to Tsunade, who pocketed the bills eagerly.

"My, what a generous sheriff we've been blessed with." She said, sauntering to the back of the room and ducking behind the stage, probably to check on the dancers. Asuma poured a tray of shots for them and sent them away with enough alcohol to subdue a bull.

Naruto carefully escorted their fiery treasure to a large table, front and center of the stage, and everyone took a seat and a shot.

"To a successful patrol." Shikamaru chimed, raising his glass.

"To another peaceful day." Added Shino.

"To the best damn sheriff in the west!" Kiba shouted.

"To the top shelf!" Naruto cheered, and their glasses all clinked together.

* * *

"Did I ever tell you the story about how I got my tattoos?" Kiba slurred, pointing to the downward facing red triangles under his eyes. His other hand held an empty shot glass.

"Yes." Naruto replied, throwing back his head and taking another drink and almost missing his mouth entirely.

"Well I was out gathering intel in Durango, you remember," Kiba began, leaning across the table towards Naruto, "and I met this fortune telling Indian priest doctor outside the bar. And he asked-" Kiba paused to hiccup, "asked if I'd spare a sip from my canteen. So I give it to him, and he drinks the whole damn thing. Pissed, I'm all 'That was more than a sip!' and he apologizes and said that for my _kindness_ " Kiba raised his eyebrows as he spoke "he'd give me these awesome, powerful tattoos. They would bring me luck, and women, and money too. Course I took him up on it." Kiba leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "I was too drunk to know better. I wake up the next day with these," he pointed again to the tattoos, "and they look pretty cool, and I'm not feeling too stupid about it. Until I go back into town. All the Indians start laughing at me when they see me. All throughout town. I figure it's gotta be the tattoos. So I grab one and I'm like 'What's so funny?' and he says 'Your markings' and I'm all 'Aren't they symbols of power?' and he busts a gut and goes 'That's the marking for hermaphrodite!' and I fucking lost it." Kiba dropped his head to the table.

Naruto burst into laughter even though he'd heard the story before. It just seemed so much funnier now. Shikamaru chuckled, slumped in his chair, probably half asleep. Shino sat completely silent, but swayed drunkenly back and forth in his seat.

"You're such an idiot." Naruto sputtered out as his laughing died off. They'd burned through several rounds of whiskey but Naruto wouldn't let them leave until his favorite dancer had finished performing. "Guys, guys, guys!" He jumped up and down in his chair as he watched Tsunade walk out to announce her. "Wake up, she's on!" Shikamaru raised his head, and even Shino sat straight and still.

"Alright you sorry bastards," Tsunade yelled, to which the crowd responded with cheers, "put your hands together for Texas' sweet desert blossom, Sakura!" Tsunade bowed as the curtains opened and revealed a pale young woman with pink hair and green eyes. She wore a lacy black bustier and a short, frilly petticoat with a sparkly feather boa draped around her shoulders. Her hair fell in soft waves behind her, and her hair was adorned with an exotic looking flower. The room fell silent in admiration, waiting for her to move. She looked up into the crowd and smirked when she saw Naruto, staring at her with wide eyes and a drooling mouth. She slowly drew a fan from her garter belt, drawing out every tantalizing moment.

"This one's for the sheriff." She cooed, and everyone erupted into whistles and applause. Naruto felt his face burn red like a cherry tomato. Sakura strutted down the stage, waving her fan, while the orchestra played a jaunty tune. She descended the few stairs and teasingly strut towards Naruto's table, every step with those long legs getting him more excited. She closed the distance between them, and plopped herself daintily in his lap, pulling the feather boa around him. She began to sing some classic show tune he had heard a million times before but was too drunk to remember the words. He felt the jealous stares of every man in the bar boring into him, but he was lost in the sweet, floral smell of Sakura, the jazzy up tempo beat and her sensual voice, her legs draped across him.

'I could die right now, and heaven wouldn't be better than this', Naruto thought to himself.

* * *

"Fuck." Naruto mumbled, rubbing his shin, which he had banged into the side of his desk.

"Sounds like it was a good night." Neji observed, hiding a sneer.

"Ask me again in the morning." The blonde sighed, collapsing in his chair and rubbing his temples gingerly. It was actually a fantastic night, between the drinking and the sex, but he knew he would be paying for it tomorrow. "How was he?" He asked, indicating the mysterious prisoner in the cell. Neji shrugged.

"He might have been drunker than you. Hasn't moved a muscle the whole time." Neji approached the cell and peered through the bars. "I drafted a letter to the surrounding sheriff's offices asking if they might have any information regarding this man or any recent gang activity. Look it over, you can send it in the morning."

"Thanks Neji, I appreciate it." Naruto said with a smile as the other man turned and made his way out of the building.

"Thank me with some top shelf next time." Neji called over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him. Naruto chuckled and then sighed, depositing his hat on the hook behind him.

He stared at the man in the cell. He couldn't see much of him, his pale, angular face was smushed into the cot and covered by a veil of black hair. A shiny trail of drool leaked from the corner of the man's mouth and soaked into his shirt collar. His clothes were dark and covered in dust. A handsome man, but he had the look of a rogue about him. Naruto quickly read over Neji's letter, signed his name, and left a note for the print maker to make several copies and have them sent to the morning mail carrier. It could be days before he got a reply, and he'd just have to do his best to interrogate the stranger in the meantime. If he was a wanted man, he'd get a nice reward and some more brownie points with the citizens of Alto Springs, not to mention the respect of the other sheriffs.

He began a quick report of his capture of the stranger but found his head swimming and decided to finish in the morning. With a yawn so large it hurt his jaw, he stood and checked the lock on the cell door. Satisfied, Naruto dimmed the lamps in his office and began to climb the stairs to his quarters. A sound from the cell stopped him in his tracks. He silently turned around and leaned towards the noise; a myriad of coughs and groans began echoing throughout the darkened room. Naruto remained quiet and still. There was the sound of clothing rustling, and it seemed the captive man had awakened from his drunken slumber. The sheriff was about to turn and continue up the stairs when the other man cleared his throat.

"My guys will come for me." He said, voice hoarse. Naruto's mouth went dry, breath caught in his chest. "By this time the next day, I'll be a free man. And you, sheriff," the man snorted, "you'll be the joke of the state." Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"By this time the next day your body could be cold in the dirt." Naruto warned gravely, his voice ice. He recalled that the man's arms and legs were still bound, his gun removed. He was no threat tonight. Now weighed down by a heavy feeling of dread, Naruto proceeded up the stairs, euphoric memories of the evening's fun already long gone. He heard a few more rustling noises before he closed the door to his room. He kicked off his boots and dropped onto his bed fully clothed, the alcohol pulling him into a quick but fitful sleep.

* * *

AN: So what do you think? Please review, comment, and critique, I really appreciate it. Hold tight for an exciting next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Here we go, chapter 2! Thanks for the support so far!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Beta: AlyssaOtaku69, go check out her work, she updates every Sunday!

* * *

Naruto's eyes fluttered open, the constant assault of sunlight beaming through his window landing smack on his face. He hissed as his world was momentarily bright and blinding, and he covered his face with his hands. His head was throbbing in pain and his mouth felt dry and fuzzy. He rolled onto his side, away from the sun, and sat up. His clothes were wrinkled and smelled stale, and he quickly slipped out of yesterday's dusty, sweaty shirt and pants. His body felt stiff as he pulled on a new pair of pants and walked over to his wash bowl. He opened a large, sealed jug and poured some water into the bowl and splashed his face several times.

"Damn…" He muttered, looking at his reflection in the mirror. "I look like shit." He chuckled and examined his face. The whites surrounding his blue irises were streaked with red, courtesy of his hangover. His tan skin appeared flushed, and the whisker like scars on his cheeks seemed to stand out more than usual. His blonde hair stuck in every direction, as if styled by a violent wind storm. He had a number of scratches and bruises running down his arms and chest, some tokens of affection from Sakura and others painful reminders of his clumsy behavior. Just then, his stomach made a horrific gurgling noise. "And I feel like shit too." He sighed, splashing his face again and washing it with some soap. Once dry, he grabbed a fresh shirt from his closet, slung on his vest, hopped into his shoes, and hurried downstairs. He hadn't overslept, but he had to get his letter to the printers as soon as he could.

As he walked down the stairs he recalled his brief exchange with the inmate. Hopefully he's prepared to talk today, he thought as he tried to keep his expression from souring. What a cocky bastard.

His office was quiet when he entered, filled with only the soft sound of the black haired man's snores. He grabbed the letter off his desk and his hat from the stand, and then hurried out the door. The morning air was crisp and refreshing and took the edge off his aching head. The sun had just recently finished its rise over the distant mountains and had once again left the sky a collage of colors that was slowing giving way to a clean and clear blue. The sounds of the town slowly coming to life resounded in the street.

After a quick exchange at the printers, Naruto returned home. As soon as he entered the building, his eyes went wide. The pale man was sitting up on his cot, a knife clutched between his bound hands, and he was actively sawing through the rope keeping his wrists together. Perhaps sensing he wasn't alone, he looked up. Upon seeing the sheriff, his face broke into a smirk.

"Top of the morning." He jeered as Naruto dove towards the cell, one hand on his gun and his other hand holding the cell keys. He began to saw faster, glancing up at the blonde, who seemed to be fumbling to open the door. He was part way through the rope when Naruto flung open the cell door and entered with his gun cocked and aimed. "Uh oh, I seem to have brought a knife to a-" He began to jest when Naruto removed a hand from his gun and punched the stranger in the face. The man's head snapped to the side, and Naruto grabbed the knife that now hung limply in his grasp and flung it out into the other room. He took a hold of the man's shirt collar and pulled him face down into his cot, and then he dug his knee into his back to keep him from rolling over. How could he have been so stupid as to not check for other weapons? Naruto berated himself as he shifted more weight onto the black haired man. He put his gun to the side of his head, and the inmate stopped struggling at the cold touch of the metal.

"I don't want to have to clean your brain out of this cell." Naruto snapped, nudging his gun against the pale man's temple. "So why not make this easy for me and tell me if you have other weapons?"

"Why would I make it easy for you?" The man grunted into the cot. Naruto dug his knee harder into his back, and the man hissed in pain. "Shit, fine, that was it!" He exclaimed.

Naruto heard noises behind him and turned to see his deputies sauntering in. As soon as they saw Naruto they leapt into action, each pulling out their guns and approaching cautiously.

"What happened?" Neji asked, entering the cell behind Naruto.

"Our new inmate woke up and was going to pull a disappearing act." Naruto replied, pulling his gun back. "I didn't seize all his weapons and he had a knife." Understanding, Neji went and grabbed a pair of metal handcuffs from the desk.

"Shino and I have our guns ready." Shikamaru said, both to let Naruto know he was safe to relax and to let the dark haired man know he could have a bullet in him instantly if he tried anything funny.

"I'm going to take my knee off you," Naruto informed the man, "and if you do anything other than sit up quietly, you'll be tasting lead." The man was silent but nodded. Naruto removed his knee, but twisted his hand into the man's surprisingly soft hair. He yanked him upwards into a sitting position, pulling the hair tighter when the man cried out in surprise and pain. Neji took this opportunity to lock the cuffs around his wrists above the half cut rope. Naruto was pleased to see a large red welt blossoming on the inmate's pale cheek where he had punched him. They all retreated out of the cell and Naruto once again locked the door.

"That was too close for comfort." Naruto sighed.

"Well it's better this way." Shikamaru holstered his gun. "He won't be out of those cuffs anytime soon."

"Did you send the letter?" Neji inquired, and Naruto nodded his head.

"Went out first thing this morning." He explained as he straightened out his clothes. "I hope to hear back from someone in the next couple days." The pale man's warning rang in his brain, but he pushed it aside. "I've got an investigation to do today, but I want someone here while I'm gone. He," Naruto pointed to the stranger, who seemed to be sulking on his cot, "is always being watched. Got it?" He looked around at his deputies who all nodded back at him.

"I'll stay." Kiba stated while making his way to the sheriff's desk. He sat in the chair and put up his feet with a wolfish grin. "Don't worry about nothing."

"I better not find you drinking." Naruto threatened, and Kiba rolled his eyes.

"After last night, I don't think I'll feel like drinking for… at least another day." Kiba admonished and everyone snorted. Shikamaru, Shino, and Neji grabbed the itineraries Naruto had made for them yesterday and took off; they would all be busy doing road patrols and safety inspections while he would be investigating some instances of missing farm animals on a ranch outside of town.

"Take care." Naruto waved to Kiba after grabbing a full canteen and an empty journal. As he left his office, his eyes met with the cold gaze of the stranger's own steely greys. He seemed to be smiling, and Naruto felt a chill overtake him. He hurried outside, saddled his horse, and took off down the street.

* * *

"I like my job, I like my job, I like my job…" Naruto repeated to himself over and over as his horse trotted him home. Days like today made him question whether or not being sheriff was really his dream. He'd gone out to the 3 Bar ranch north of Alto Springs to investigate claims made by owner Mr. Sarutobi that his pigs and cattle were being stolen in the night. After hours of interviews with the man and his neighbors and ranch hands, as well as a thorough scene investigation, Naruto realized that Mr. Sarutobi couldn't count. There were never any missing animals, because Mr. Sarutobi just counted a different number every day. He spent the next few hours finding ways to teach the older man how to keep track of his livestock.

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose and attempted to take a deep, calming breath. It was just a bad day, and bad days happen to everyone, he rationalized. It's all part of the job, and not every outing will be an adventure. He wished he had saved his money from yesterday, because he could use a drink after this.

He approached town just as most businesses were closing down for the evening. The air had gotten cool now that the sun was down, and outside lamps were being lit to keep the main street aglow in the oncoming night. He moved through Alto Springs quickly and quietly, not really in the mood to make pleasant talk with anyone. Outside the sheriff's office he dismounted and gave his mare a rub on the neck. He strolled inside, glad to see the dark haired man still stuck in his cell.

"Have a good day-" Kiba started but was abruptly cut off.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Naruto grimaced, pulling up a chair to the other side of the desk where Kiba was lounging. He took a long sip from his canteen and cleared his throat. "What about you?"

"Nothing exciting." Kiba shrugged. "That bastard sat nice and quiet for me all day." He nodded his head at the raven in the cell, who was now laying with his back on the floor and his legs propped up on his cot. "You've been requested to look into some vandalism at the general store, and Madame Tsunade wants you to speak with Konohomaru, he and his friends keep leaving mouse traps in the water closets and some customers have gotten some painful surprises."

"Excellent." Naruto exhaled slowly, dreading the duties of tomorrow.

"Everyone else already checked in. Neji stopped some would-be wagon robbers and Shino rescued a cat from a well." Kiba chuckled, standing up and popping his back with a healthy stretch. "Need anything else?"

"No, go get a drink or something." Naruto dropped his head on the desk with a soft _thud_. "You'll probably be checking bank security tomorrow."

"Shit." Kiba muttered, kicking at the air. "See you tomorrow then." He strolled out of the office with a lazy wave, leaving Naruto alone. The room was silent for several minutes, and Naruto remained with his head on the desk, eyes closed. 'I like this job, I like this job, I like this job…' He repeated the mantra again until the pale inmate interrupted him.

"You look like you've had a rough day." He goaded from the floor. Naruto didn't show any sign of listening to him. "Mine wasn't any better, if that helps." He poked again, but still wasn't getting a response. "What kind of loser sheriff gets stuck reprimanding kids for their pranks?" He saw the blonde's hand tighten to a fist at his side and he knew he'd gotten him.

"For fuck's sake, shut it!" Naruto bolted up and spun to face to cell. He could see the smirk practically glowing on the dark haired man.

"Or what?" He continued to grate on the sheriff, "You'll hang me? I'll be cold in the dirt?" Naruto's eyes narrowed. He grabbed the chair he was sitting in and placed it in front of the cell and took a seat, staring down hard at the man on the floor.

"Feeling chatty? How about your name?" Naruto asked through gritedt teeth. He really wasn't in the mood to play nice tonight.

"Nuh-uh." The inmate shook his head.

"Are you a wanted man?" Naruto tried again.

"Maybe." The other man replied curtly.

"Do you ride with anyone?"

"Maybe."

"Not so talkative now, huh?"

"I don't like your questions."

Naruto stood up and used every ounce of self-control to walk back to his desk instead of beat the young man with the chair he'd been sitting on.

"I'll have all the answers I need when those letters get back to me tomorrow." The blonde muttered, dropping his hat on the hook.

"Except," the raven piped up, "by the time you get those letters, I'll already be gone."

"Another word out of you and I'll stuff my handkerchief down your throat." Naruto glowered at the young man, who smirked in response, but remained quiet. He took a deep breath and worked on the itineraries for tomorrow. Time passed silently, and slowly he was able to decompress from his rotten day. Once the itineraries were finished, he went back to the report he'd started last night.

When he was done he looked at the clock, surprised to find it was almost 11. Time flies when you work in silence, he thought with a small grin. He filed away his papers for the evening and turned down the lamp at his desk. He approached the occupied cell noiselessly and was relieved the other man seemed to be asleep. He watched and waited for a minute but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, so he continued to the stairs and up to his room. Again, the man's threat of escape persisted in nagging him, but he knew deep down he had nothing to worry about.

"The bastard is all talk. He knows it's hopeless." He told himself as he stripped out of his clothes and shoes. "Tomorrow I'll get real answers." He climbed into bed, guided by the moonlight streaming through his window, and fell asleep to thoughts of tomorrow.

* * *

Naruto was jolted from his sleep by several rough shakes to his shoulder. His eyes flew open and he automatically reached for the pistol he kept stashed between his mattress and bed frame. He sat up, finger on the trigger, gun aimed at an uncharacteristically terrified Shikamaru.

"Whoa, whoa, hey!" He took a step back, and after taking a moment to take in his surroundings Naruto lowered the gun.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, heart still pounding in his chest. Shikamaru didn't look the least bit relieved.

"We have a problem." Shikamaru explained, and Naruto hopped out of bed, throwing clothes right over his sleeping shirt and pants. "Alto Springs is being raided." Naruto felt as if his bounding heart had suddenly stopped. For an instant, he struggled to breath. The ominous threat of the mysterious outlaw was more than a threat, it had been a promise, a promise he had laughed off. Shikamaru continued, "Buildings on fire, horses shot, people injured… We have to go."

Naruto nodded, still in shock. They flew down the stairs where Neji and Kiba were waiting, each sporting some fresh wounds. Kiba seemed to have taken a punch to his right eye, while Neji staunched the flow of blood from a gunshot wound on his left arm. The blonde was overcome with a suffocating guilt.

"I'm going to stay and watch him." Neji stated, pointing his shotgun at the dark haired man in the cell, who was leaning calmly against the back wall, arms crossed, a stoic but knowing glint in his dark eyes.

Naruto swallowed hard, avoiding the other man's gaze, "Let's hurry." He grabbed his own shotgun from behind his desk and led the other men out into the chaos.

The town was literally glowing, fires dotting the street and spreading quickly. The roar of the flames was muffled by the screams of innocent men and women and echoes of gunfire. He felt smothered by the thick, heavy odor of smoke. He ran towards the center of town, where most people seemed to be fleeing from, so he deduced this was the right direction. In the distance he could just make out several figures dressed in dark clothing and riding dark horses. The fire cast flickering light over their faces, and he realized they had drawn their bandanas up over their mouths to conceal some of their features. He signaled for Kiba and Shikamaru to duck left and right into the alleys while he approached directly.

"Well, if it aint Sunshine the Sheriff." The rider in the middle drawled. His companions snickered, and they all turned to face Naruto. "You've got something we want."

"Something or someone?" Naruto retorted, raising his shotgun. The group of assailants laughed again.

"He's barely a person, more of a walking pile of crap. But he's our pile of crap, you see. We want him back." A gruff voice from the rider on the left sounded.

"And if I refuse?" The blonde countered. Out of the corners of his eyes he saw what he prayed were the shadowy flashes of his deputies.

"Then we will go get him ourselves. Just thought we'd save you the trouble of being dead." The man in middle spoke again, and raised his pistol. From the darkness, a gun was fired, and the masked rider dropped his gun with a sharp snarl of pain. Another shot from the dark, this one grazing the body of the man on the right. Naruto took seized the opportunity and fired his shotgun at the man on the left. He heard the bullets connect, and all three dark horses reared up in shock as their riders cried out.

Kiba and Shikamaru stepped into the light of the fire, guns reloaded and aimed to kill. Naruto also reloaded, the masked riders frozen in confusion and pain.

"How about you save me some trouble and turn yourselves in?" Naruto jeered at them. They were all silent, but their horses were tense and looked ready to flee at any moment. It was because of the silence that Naruto could faintly make out the word 'Duck!' being yelled from somewhere far in front of him. Something glowing came flying through the air, over the heads of the gang members, and landed softly in the dirt in front of him.

The riders disappeared in an instant, the darkness concealing them. Naruto looked down and his stomach dropped. A bundle of red with a rapidly burning wick.

"RUN!" He screamed, diving behind the nearest building. He scrambled as far as he could away from the dynamite, begging God that his friends had moved fast enough. He knew he shouldn't look back, but he had to know if Kiba and Shikamaru made it. Just as he turned around, he was knocked backwards off his feet from the force of the explosion. Dust and blood filled his mouth as the back of his head smacked against the ground. The building had shielded him from the worst of the damage but he was more than a little shaken.

Naruto struggled to his feet, watching the dust settle. His eyes darted around frantically looking for bodies or body parts or whatever could be left of his friends. He moved clumsily back to the street, feeling his stomach twist into knots as he saw the crater that was left from the explosion.

"Naruto!" Kiba yelled, emerging from a storage shed across the street, Shikamaru right behind him. The blonde felt a wave of relief wash over him as they approached, no worse for wear than himself.

"Thank God." Naruto muttered, clapping each of them on the shoulder. "Looks like they've retreated."

"Those guys, anyway. Who knows how many of them there are." Kiba coughed, patting dust off his clothes.

"Neji gave reports of six." Shikamaru added. Naruto sighed, looking around at all the damage the outlaws had caused; most of the fires were dwindling down, but entire roofs and storefronts had been burned away, not to mention nearly every window in town broken. He couldn't even consider how many people could be dead.

"Let's organize a fire team, get these last burns doused." Naruto addressed his deputies. "We can use the well behind Shizune's office. Hopefully she's already taking care of the injured." The group split up, rounding up able bodied citizens and buckets and directing them to the well to form a line. They were able to move water quickly between the well and the fires and within a half hour, all that remained was charred wood and dying embers.

Exhausted, the men returned to the sheriff's office while directing anyone in need of assistance to the center of town, where Tsunade was organizing relief efforts. Naruto knew he'd have to be there shortly, to answer questions or take blame, but he wanted to check on the rest of his team first.

They staggered into the office to see Neji and Shino patching up each other's bullet wounds. The black haired man was collapsed on the floor of his cell, adorned with a freshly split lip. His other two deputies smiled weakly at Naruto, letting him know they would be fine, and he was overwhelmed with reprieve.

"Glad to see you in one piece." Neji stated, striding forward to pat Naruto's back. "That was a loud explosion."

"There's a new hole in the middle of town, just after they fixed the roads. Figures." Naruto chuckled half-heartedly. "What happened once we left?"

"His friends," Neji began, looking pointedly at the unconscious man, "arrived here not long after, two of them, both in masks. Luckily, Shino had been watching outside for anything suspicious and he was on their flank. There was a scuffle and…" Neji's pale eyes dropped to the floor, dejected.

"Our guys retreated too." Naruto responded reassuringly, but Neji's expression remained the same.

"They warned they would be back." Shino added, stepping forward. "They said that as they left."

"For God's sake, who is this guy?" Naruto fumed, turning to look at the dark haired man. "What's he worth?"

"Kiba was right when he mentioned that new gang the other day." Neji spoke up. "They're the Akatsuki, and they've been terrorizing this area for a few months now. They like gold, oil, and gunpowder."

"This is their youngest member, Sasuke Uchiha." Shino indicated the unconscious man again. "Apparently they really want him back."

"We can't keep him here." Naruto sighed and shook his head. "We can't take another night like tonight."

"I agree," Kiba called, "get him out of here on the first train tomorrow. Akatsuki could already be planning another attack."

"So we pass him off to the next unlucky bastards?" Shikamaru quipped. Naruto could begin to feel the tensions in the room rising.

"We clearly don't have the proper facilities here." Kiba retorted, and Shino nodded his head.

"If we send him to Durango, they have a much larger prison." Shino reasoned, "It's a bigger city, they can hold him safely there."

"I don't like it either way." Neji narrowed his eyes. "Maybe we just kill him ourselves."

"Stop, all of you!" Naruto shouted, and everyone seemed to deflate. He cleared his throat, "I want him out. The safety of Alto Springs is my priority and he is jeopardizing that. I'll escort him to Durango on tomorrow's first train."

"But tomorrow is a supply train, it's not meant to hold prisoners." Shikamaru remarked and the blonde huffed loudly.

"I'll chain him up inside the goddamn cattle car." He snapped, patting his gun. "He's not going anywhere."

* * *

AN: Trash or treasure? Love or hate? Please read and review, comment and critique, I really appreciate all your feedback. Chapter 3 is on its way! My plan will be to update on Sundays but I'll be gone next Sunday so there will be an extra week between updates.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

AN: Thanks for sticking it out an extra week while I was gone, I appreciate it! Get ready for some action, here comes chapter 3!

Beta: AlyssaOtaku69

* * *

Naruto slept at his desk that night. He needed to be readily available in case of an emergency and wanted to continue to keep a close eye on Sasuke. He learned that the dark haired man received a nasty right hook from Neji after mouthing off at him, and he had remained unconscious the rest of the night, much to everyone's satisfaction.

The sheriff raised his head off his desk, a small string of drool connecting his lips to the papers he'd been reviewing just before he passed out. There had been no reported deaths last night, just thousands of dollars' worth of damage and several instances of non-life threatening injury. That's how he knew Akatsuki had been toying with them; if he didn't get Sasuke out of town, they would start killing next. Naruto groaned at his sore neck and stiff back, and sat up straight to stretch out some of the pain. The train would be arriving soon.

He stood up, dropped his hat on his head, and continued stretching. He walked over to the cell where Sasuke lay in the same crumpled heap from last night and rattled his gun along the iron bars.

"Rise and shine." He mumbled through a yawn. He saw the other man twitch, but his eyes didn't open. He passed his gun back along the bars, rattling louder this time. "Wakey, wakey." He called, but the man continued to slumber. Naruto hurried upstairs and grabbed the huge jug of water he used for cleaning his face every morning and brought it back to the cell. He popped out the cork, propped the jug against the bars, and dumped the entirety of its contents on the sleeping man below. "I said rise and shine you bastard."

Sasuke sputtered to life instantly, thrashing about in the cascade of water like a fresh caught salmon. He bolted upright, gray eyes in a daze until they darted upwards to meet Naruto's cheerful blues, at which they immediately narrowed. In an instant, Sasuke was on his feet, face pressed against the bars of cell, venom pouring from his seething scowl. His sopping wet, dark hair was plastered around his face. Naruto could feel the hate radiating from him, and he stepped closer to the cell, their faces inches apart.

"I thought you could use a bath before you met your new inmates. You were beginning to stink." Naruto smirked, watching in delight as Sasuke's eyes flashed with anger. He lingered there a moment, trapped in the intensity of his gaze. He was excited to finally be rid of the other man and was going to relish their final hours together. He turned away, and could feel Sasuke's glare boring straight into his back. "Here, breakfast." He said, grabbing some beef jerky from off his desk. 'I may be an asshole, but I'm not heartless', he thought to himself as he passed the strips of dried meat through the bars. Sasuke had not moved a muscle, his penetrating gaze still focused on Naruto. He held the jerky there for another moment, and when Sasuke made no move to take it, he tossed it gently on the cot.

He returned to his desk and hurriedly drafted a letter to the sheriff of Durango explaining the situation, aware of Sasuke's eyes following his every move. Just as he finished, Shikamaru entered his office with a loud yawn. He took one look at the soaking inmate and snorted.

"Did the pipes leak?" He snickered, taking a seat opposite Naruto.

"Someone isn't a morning person." Naruto sighed, signing the letter.

"I'm right here, you know." Sasuke hissed at them. Both men pointedly ignored him.

"The trains on schedule, it will be in the station any minute now." Shikamaru informed the blonde, who let out a sigh of relief.

"I'll be back before dark. I don't like leaving right after what happened last night, but I trust you'll all be able to manage for a day." Naruto replied, cleaning off his desk.

"We'll be fine." His deputy insisted. The dull roar of the train engine approaching had them both looking towards the door. "Here we go then."

They stood up and approached Sasuke's cell. He was still pressed against the bars of the door, but Naruto noticed the jerky was gone. He drew the keys from his vest.

"Step back." He ordered, and Sasuke begrudgingly moved away from the door. "You know better than to try anything, right?" Naruto threatened, and the man nodded slowly. Naruto opened the cell door and was poised to deal with some kind of assault, but he was pleasantly surprised when Sasuke remained still. "Step forward slowly." Again, Sasuke did as he was told as lethargically as possible. Naruto grabbed his right arm while Shikamaru grabbed his left, and together they walked the dark haired man out of the office and across the street to the train station.

They moved swiftly to the loading area, and the train conductor was there to meet them. He opened the door to a car strewn with bags of rice and beans as well as crates of linen. There was a row of slats lining the sides of the car, just below the roof, that let in just enough light that you'd be able to make out where you were going once it was all closed up. It smelled musty and damp, but he stepped up into the car, pulling Sasuke with him. Shikamaru was right behind him, and prodded him along to the back of the car. Naruto looped a heavy metal chain through Sasuke's handcuffs and then secured the chain around a wooden support beam that ran over head. He'd be able to walk back and forth the width of the cart, but that was all.

"Thanks for the help, now you guys have a good day." Naruto patted his deputy on the shoulder.

"Don't trust a word he says." Shikamaru warned and the blonde nodded. He hopped out of the car and helped slide the door shut. Naruto was alone with his captive once again.

It was going to be at least a three hour ride, so he figured he would make himself comfortable. He laid out on a pile of rice bags, fingers intertwined behind his neck. To his left was Sasuke, who was sitting slumped against a crate with a stoic expression. After a few minutes of silence, he felt the train begin to move, and the smell of burning coal wafted through the window slats. As the train picked up speed, their car began to shift to and fro. It had been a while since Naruto had last traveled by rail, and although it wasn't as comfortable as a real passenger car, he was just gracious he'd been allowed to slip onboard and catch a ride anyway.

He closed his eyes, drifting in and out of a light sleep where he sometimes felt he was still aware of his surroundings. He didn't want to risk actually falling asleep, but his eyes were heavy from the restless night before and begged for a brief respite. He did his best to continue to focus on the sounds of the train and Sasuke's rattling chain, and if he felt he was falling too deep he'd sit up, stretch, and blink repeatedly. Thoughts of the attack began to torment him, and he lost himself in the idea that it was all his fault and that his dad and Kakashi would be ashamed of him. He wanted to turn this into a learning opportunity, but he felt too crushed with guilt. He pulled out his pocket watch and could just discern with the fraction of light leaking in that an hour had passed.

"Almost half way." He sung to himself. He turned and looked at Sasuke, who had retreated into the dark corner of the car and seemed to be sitting cross legged. Feeling Naruto's eyes on him, he looked up, face set in a cold mask. "So," the blonde began, "what drives a man to drink like you did?" He was curious as to why the man had been so utterly wasted when he found him, as it seemed extremely reckless for someone as dark and calculating as Sasuke. 'Hah, as if I know him after two days', Naruto thought to himself with a chuckle.

"The same reasons that drive any man, even yourself, sheriff." Sasuke replied, his voice hollow.

"And those are?" Naruto queried.

"Sometimes there's things inside that you want to die." Sasuke answered, and Naruto suddenly sat up.

"Maybe for you." The blonde quipped, uneasy at the idea of sharing any similarities to the criminal sitting across from him.

"No, everyone has something." Sasuke drawled, shoulders sagging with a heavy sigh. "You, for instance, are afraid of being responsible for your crap hole of a town."

"As if you know a damn thing about me." Naruto retorted, unable to keep the bitterness from seeping into his tone.

"I'm willing to bet you have daddy issues too, seeing as he died when you were so young." The dark haired man continued, a mischievous grin pulling at his lips when he saw Naruto tense up. "I don't think I could list all the things wrong with you. I'm surprised you're not shitfaced every day honestly."

"And I'm surprised you're not dead already." Naruto fumed. "What kind of poor, tortured soul you must have, killing and stealing and raping in the name of self-preservation. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you planned on drinking yourself to death that day." Naruto got to his feet and stalked towards the sitting man, grabbing a fistful of his shirt collar and yanking him upwards and pinning him against the wall. "I don't have anything inside me to kill. But I hope that whatever is festering inside you consumes you and eats you alive. Saves everyone the trouble of preparing a noose." Naruto's eyes held Sasuke's gaze captive. They were so close he could feel the other man's warm breath on his face. The air around them had become charged.

"You're a good actor." Sasuke said after a moment of heavy silence. "For a moment, I almost believed you were a real sheriff." He smirked as Naruto's grip on his shirt tightened. "Unfortunately, your threats are once again premature."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, both worried and confused.

"I won't be arriving in Durango today, you see." The pale man replied with flashing eyes.

"Like hell you won't." Naruto spat out angrily. "Over my dead body."

"Perhaps." Sasuke sneered, and Naruto threw Sasuke into the adjacent wall. He reached for his gun and was going to issue another threat when a loud explosion sounded from the front of the train. Their car rattled from the shockwaves, knocking the two men off balance and sending them both to the floor. There was a second explosion, followed by the cracks of gunfire. Naruto rolled over and pinned Sasuke beneath him, using the full weight of his body to trap him.

"What's going on?!" He ordered as Sasuke struggled beneath him. "What do you have planned?" The train was beginning to slow down, the roar of the engine growing softer as the gunfire grew louder.

"Just as I told you," Sasuke chuckled darkly, "I won't be making the full trip today."

"Sasuke!" Naruto growled, pressing the other man's face to the floor. His mind was racing now, assessing the situation. Akatsuki was attacking the train, probably to free Sasuke. Either Sasuke knew they were coming or he was bluffing and got lucky but… How would Akatsuki know he was on this train? There must have been some kind of plan-

Naruto was startled from his thoughts as the freight car door flew open. Both men turned to watch a member of Akatsuki climb in, pistol drawn. His dark cloak and silver hair billowed in the wind, and Naruto glanced out the open door to see land still speeding past them, but at about half the speed the train was going earlier. Several other members of Akatsuki were riding next to the car, keeping pace with the train.

"Am I interrupting something here?" The man jeered as he pulled down his mask.

"Piss off." Sasuke snarled, taking advantage of Naruto's confusion and throwing the other man off of him. Naruto went to draw his gun, but the silver haired man fired a bullet in the floor next to his head.

"No sudden movements please." The silver haired man said with a malicious smile. "Sasuke, take my horse. Everyone will be eager to say hello afterwards." Sasuke stood up and walked towards the door. He held up his handcuffs and the silver haired man shot through the chain holding the cuffs together. "Unless you want to stay and take the train?" He joked and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"When this train arrives in-" Naruto blurted out but was silenced by another warning shot, this one flying just past his ear.

"Sorry sheriff, we're taking a detour. I hope your heart wasn't set on Durgano because this train is on our schedule now." The silver haired man explained. Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Don't kill him, Hidan." Sasuke ordered as he leaned out the door. "Don't fucking do it."

"I don't take orders from you, pipsqueak." Hidan sniped back as Sasuke issued him a melting glare.

"Don't. Kill. Him." The dark haired man demanded, punctuating every word.

"So what do I do then? Babysit?" He asked, exasperated.

"Throw him off at some point. Pick somewhere nice." Sasuke called over his shoulder as he stepped off the car and landed in the seat of a saddle. He took Hidan's dark horse and pulled away from the train and was gone. There was a moment of silence between them while the older man seemed to be waiting for Sasuke to ride far enough away before he aimed his loaded pistol at Naruto.

"Sorry, Sunshine, but I do whatever the fuck I want." He declared with a smirk.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto called, looking back at the door. Hidan's head snapped to the side, looking for the man who had supposedly ridden back to check on him. Naruto scrambled to his feet, tackling the other man around the waist just as he realized Sasuke wasn't really there and he'd fallen for the oldest trick in the book.

"Get off me you stupid little shit!" He growled as Naruto ripped the gun out of his hands and tossed it off the moving train. The blonde rammed his elbow into the silver haired man's face, his shirt sleeve suddenly drenched with blood from Hidan's freshly broken nose. "Fuck! Kakuzu! Kakuzu come shoot this mother-" Naruto hurriedly punched Hidan across the cheek to keep him from calling for help. Hidan replied by driving his knee into Naruto's gut, and he doubled over in pain. Hidan got to his feet and aimed several furious kicks at the blonde's exposed side, pain continuing to blossom across his body. "I'm going to fucking destroy you!" Hidan hissed, reaching for Naruto's pistol. Naruto grabbed his arm and pulled the older man down onto the ground with him, wrapping his arm around his neck. He used his other hand to help draw his arm tighter against Hidan's neck, and he tangled his legs with the other man's to keep him from thrashing about while he slowly suffocated him. Hidan was bigger and stronger but Naruto's grip was steel, and soon his movements became less erratic. His body went limp in Naruto's arms, and after a few more seconds he finally released the other man.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph." Naruto rolled onto his back, sweat dripping down his face. He could see the slight rise and fall of Hidan's chest, meaning he was unconscious and not dead. Naruto struggled for a moment, considering whether or not to kill him. "There wouldn't be any justice in that." He sighed, wincing in pain as he sat up. He had to find a way to get to Sasuke.

"Hidan!"

Naruto froze, breath caught in his chest. The voice sounded from just outside the freight car, and called again, louder this time.

"Is there a problem? Hidan?"

'Shit, backup', Naruto thought, and ignoring the throbbing in his gut and side, he grabbed Hidan's body and drug it to the back of the car. No sooner had he ducked behind a linen crate did another man in a dark cloak step into the car. He was very tall, with tan skin and bright green eyes. He did not wear a hat as some of the other members did, but some sort of grey head wrap that concealed his hair and the lower half of his face. His eyes darted around the car, looking for the other man.

"Okay creep, cut the shit." Kakuzu snarled, unamused at Hidan's 'tricks'. He began moving around the car, throwing around bags and knocking over crates. Naruto slid his gun from his holster silently. "Hidan!" He growled, getting closer to the back where Naruto was hiding. The blonde was in a panic, unsure of how to make his escape, when Kakuzu appeared beside him. "Well, it's our new favorite pain in the ass."

Naruto knew he had only seconds before he would be shot dead. He aimed his gun at Kakuzu's foot and loosed a bullet, knowing from the roar of pain that he'd been on target. However, he didn't straggle to admire the shot, and he was instantly running for the open door. He heard swearing and the click of a hammer behind him, and he dove off the train.

He landed with a hard _thud_ on Kakuzu's saddle, knocking the wind from his lungs, and he struggled to pull himself up into the seat. He un-looped the reigns from the latch on the door and steered the horse away from the train. He wasn't more than ten feet away when he felt the sting of a bullet graze his cheek. He slid to the side, taking cover behind the horse's body, and continued to gallop away from the train as fast as he could. He heard another bullet fly by, but by now he was out of aiming distance. He righted himself in the saddle and dared a look behind him.

Kakuzu was standing at the open door of the car, becoming a little smaller every second. There were no other horses or men in dark cloaks around, and he was relieved to see he wouldn't be able to be pursued. The train chugged on, carrying Akatsuki farther East, into sandy, craggy desert, while he rode North, towards the mountains and canyons. Sasuke didn't have that much of a head start on him, but he wasn't the greatest at tracking, nor did he have any kind of lead to go off.

"It sounded as if he were going to be returning to their base." He mumbled to himself, thinking out loud. "That looks like as good of area as any." He touched a finger to the blooming welt on his cheek and was unsurprised to find a smear of blood. "That Kakuzu is a good shot."

The horse's fast and powerful gallop sent pain ricocheting through him on the side where Hidan had kicked him, and he bet he had several dark bruises already developing. Hopefully, once the train failed to station in Durango, word would get back to Alto Springs about Akatsuki's attack. Or, at least of his and Sasuke's disappearance. He glanced behind him again, noticing that the train had already disappeared into the horizon, leaving nothing but a dissipating trail of smoke. To his right was scrubland, flat and brown and half dead. Not a good place for a hide out, he deduced. On his left, the land sloped downwards towards a small, rocky ravine, which seemed to stretch on all the way into the far off mountains. He slowed his horse and trailed left, slowly descending down the uneven terrain to the edge of the ravine. A paltry stream snaked its way across the ground, probably once a formidable river in Spring, but now little more than a trickle. Reminded of the stifling summer heat, with the sun high over head, he figured it would be a good place to refill his canteen.

He slowed his horse again to a trot, ushering it towards the edge of the ravine. He looked ahead for milder ground that the horse might be able to walk down, and his eyes zeroed in on a dark smudge in the distance. A black horse, just like his own. Beside the horse, seemingly guiding it down the steep slope towards the water, was a shock of dark hair. Exhilarated, Naruto spurred his horse back up to higher ground, approaching his target at a swift but silent pace. Sasuke seemed to be having some trouble because the horse refused to continue down the ravine and was tugging against the reigns Sasuke held.

Naruto held his breath as he halted his horse almost directly up the ravine from Sasuke. He pulled his pistol from his holster, took aim, and locked the hammer. The ears on Sasuke's horse perked up, and he reared up on his hind legs in distress. Alarmed, Sasuke looked around and finally above him, just in time to see Naruto pull the trigger. The bullet passed through Sasuke's left arm, staggering him, and he took a step back. His foot slipped on the crumbling rock of the ravine, and he tumbled backwards down the slope. His terrified horse, free of Sasuke's grasp, fled upwards and away, dashing off back towards the railroad tracks. Naruto watched as Sasuke's body somersaulted out of sight, probably dropping off a sheer face to the creek bed below.

"Nice shot, right?" He smiled cheekily at the horse as he dismounted. The horse snorted in response, and the blonde quickly led it as far down as he could manage. When the horse was skittish to go further, he jammed the reigns under a heavy looking rock, hoping it would keep the horse in place. He half ran, half slid down the rest of the slope, noticing the drop off in the rock where Sasuke must have rolled over. As he predicted, Sasuke's body lay in a heap below. He moved forward cautiously, pistol drawn, though he suspected the dark haired man was still weapon free.

Sasuke lay on his side, a mess of arms and legs. He had several fresh cuts from his trip over the rocks, as well as a blood soaked left arm. His eyes were closed but his chest rose and fell with every breath. Rocks crunched underfoot as Naruto approached, and Sasuke's eyes fluttered open.

"I change my mind." He coughed out, rolling over with painful gasps and groans to look at Naruto. "Hidan should have killed you."

"He tried." Naruto deadpanned. He put his gun away and pulled out an orange handkerchief. He knelt beside Sasuke and messily wrapped the fabric square over the bullet wound, the other man cringing in pain at the touch. He observed in dismay how blood was slowly seeping through, and he untucked his shirt and ripped a strip of fabric from the hem. This he also tied around the wound, hoping that two bandages might be better than one.

"Am I supposed to thank you?" Sasuke sneered, but Naruto could see how weak it was. Sasuke's tumble probably gave him a concussion on top of all the minor injuries.

"Not unless you mean it." Naruto retorted and he went to fill his canteen in the stream.

"I hate to admit it," Sasuke breathed heavily, "but you're a better sheriff than I gave you credit for. Abandoning a whole train of expensive cargo to chase down a lowlife like me? That's real dedication." Naruto rolled his eyes and threw his canteen into the lap of the injured man.

"Drink. It's going to be a long ride." Naruto insisted, tucking his shirt back in.

"Yeah," Sasuke snorted, "I'd hate to die of dehydration on my ride back to the noose." Naruto bit his lip awkwardly; Sasuke was right, he'd most likely be condemned for his involvement with Akatsuki. He was probably riding back to his death, one way or another.

"I don't know all the crimes you've committed so I can't say." The blonde replied, to which Sasuke gave a wheezy laugh.

"If you had it your way I'd be dead already." Sasuke attempted to stand but his legs gave out from under him and he bit back a moan of pain. It almost made Naruto feel sorry for the pale man, to see such a tough talker reduced to whimpering like a kicked puppy. Almost.

"I don't kill unless I have to." Naruto sighed, holding out a hand to Sasuke. "I'm the sheriff, not the judge."

"Noble." Sasuke spat, ignoring Naruto's gesture of kindness and pulling himself up, using the rock face for leverage. He made it to his feet, but he looked as if the effort had consumed all his strength.

"Move it." The blonde ordered, flicking Sasuke in the back of the head. Sasuke growled at him, but began to struggle his way up the slope. After several minutes and not much progress, Naruto flicked his head again. "Faster."

"How about I shove you over a cliff and see how fast you move?" Sasuke snarled, turning on the other man. He almost lost his balance, and looked as if he was going to slip down the ravine again. Naruto shot out his arm and held the dark haired man in place. The flash of fear in Sasuke's eyes was quickly replaced by hostility. "Don't touch me." He swatted Naruto's hand off him and continued upwards, the blonde just a step behind. By the time they reached the horse, Sasuke's face was red and his forehead was dotted with beads of sweat.

Naruto allowed the man to catch his breath before gesturing for him to mount up. Sasuke eyed the horse warily but heaved himself into the saddle with his good arm. Naruto grabbed the reigns and led the horse up the ravine and back to the desert flats, where they were greeted with the slightest of breezes. The horizon shimmered before them, a warning of the intense heat they were about to face, and the air dried their throats as they breathed.

"Scoot over." Naruto dictated, attempting to step up into the saddle. Sasuke quickly shoved him away.

"Fuck off." He fumed, grey eyes shooting daggers at the blonde.

"You can walk if you'd prefer." Naruto snapped back. "Or I can throw you across the back, but I don't think that will be very comfortable considering how far we have to go." Sasuke made a snarling noise and looked like he was on the verge of attacking the blonde, but he refrained from pushing Naruto away again when he stepped into the saddle. Naruto slid into the seat behind Sasuke, their bodies practically flush. Sasuke was taller than him, and he had a ragged head of hair that stuck up and out in the back, and Naruto knew seeing around him would be a challenge. Without realizing he was, Naruto began analyzing the other man's smell: spicy, smoky, and aromatic. He almost took a noticeable _sniff_ but stopped himself, glad Sasuke couldn't see the awkward face he was making.

"You enjoying the view back there?" Sasuke taunted, snapping Naruto from his thoughts.

"Not particularly." He replied coolly.

"Then let's go. Maybe I'll get lucky and have a heat stroke." The dark haired man muttered, and Naruto grabbed the reigns and pulled them back and held them at his side. He gave the horse a prod with his heel, and they began the long ride back to Alto Springs.

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AN: Thanks for reading everyone, please review, it makes my little heart jump for joy! Stay tuned for another chapter!


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